Road Trip!
By Jeanne Marie
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
United States
July 8, 2016 6:56pm CST
I always love to take little road trips and get away for a bit. Today I drove up to Homosassa Springs and took a boat ride. It's a twenty five minute ride from the entrance, downriver to the park on a pontoon boat. I rode downriver and then a slightly different route upriver. I did not go into the Wild Animal Park
I took pictures of the trip for a later blog post. I really saw a lot of wildlife today, there were two alligator sightings in the water, many wood ducks, several varieties of turtles, and lots of fish, because the water is clear and you can see the bottom. There were also beautiful red and blue dragonflies and several large spiders that you could see from the boat, lounging in their large webs.
It was very relaxing but very hot. It looks shady but somehow the boat was always in the sun. I'm tan enough that I didn't get a burn but after an hour in the sun it began to feel mighty uncomfortable.
No charge for the ride. It's merely transportation but the pilot did a great narration about the history of the area all the way to the park. Different pilots actually focus on different aspects of the area so you always get a new point of view and learn a bit more each time you ride. I'm soaking in all the Florida I can before leaving on my vacation.
It was fun! Perhaps I should have titled this Boat Trip! I was on the boat about equal time to the drive.
29 people like this
31 responses
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
9 Jul 16
@Jeanniemaries That sounds wonderful. We won't expect to see much of you here then, but you can tell us all about it when you get back. Have a great time.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
10 Jul 16
@jaboUK I may be able to check in now and again I'll have my cell phone with me ??
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
Just up to Ohio for a month. From there we are renting a cabin in Tennessee and all the family will be there. I am also doing some other side trips. Hopefully I can squeeze in coordinating a genealogy expedition to Pennsylvania. Mostly it's an R&R trip from care giving here and spending time with all my kids and grandkids. Best kind of vacation.
2 people like this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
It's very relaxing. Some sort of petals have fallen from a tree and they lie on top of the water in quite a large area. That's the bottom right photo. It was so cool to float through them
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
10 Jul 16
@paigea I should go up there more often.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
I really am fortunate to be able to do what I want, whenever I want now that I am so old!
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
10 Jul 16
@toniganzon i'm really pretty happy that I moved to Florida!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
9 Jul 16
I took the ride to the animal park when I was there last winter, it is a lovely park.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
13 Jul 16
@Jeanniemaries Yes but I have to admit we came back on the tram for speed!!
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
True. It was a nice trip. I'm going to do a sunset cruise on the Gulf one of these days. It's only $20 for the whole evening.
1 person likes this
@Tr8600 (144)
•
9 Jul 16
ahhhhh ROAD TRIP..these 2 words brought back so many memories of my teenage. with people with whom i had the best time of my life with . i went wit my friends n visited many places. went to the salt mines and salt range and the country side where we experienced the true signs of nature . we did barbeque there with lamb and beef pieces the nxt day we went to the main city where roamed around the streets . departing frm there we went along the valeys to reach a lake . listenin to loud music wi my friends and having diferent kinds of foods along the way was the best experience :D
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
10 Jul 16
Great memories you have!! So awesome, thanks for sharing!
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208782)
• United States
9 Jul 16
I have been there. My former inlaws used to live in Beverly Hills Fla. Homassa was a nice little nearby attraction. It would be fun to go back there sometime.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
It's a great little park! It's a state park now and really well maintained. Instead of exotic animals now all the animals in the park are native to Florida.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
Yes, it was very peaceful. I'm wondering if I should be a volunteer.
@silvermist (19701)
• India
9 Jul 16
@Jeanniemaries Good photos.I too like going for road trips,Yours was ,as you said,more of a Boat trip
.
.1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
Thanks about the photos! Years ago I paid big bucks for a digital camera. Now my iPhone takes better pictures then the camera ever did.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6406)
•
9 Jul 16
this all sounds amazing EXCEPT the large spiders
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
As long as they aren't in the boat I was OK with them!
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
9 Jul 16
Overall you're enjoying your trip. I'm glad to know that. How I wish I can do that soonest.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
9 Jul 16
That is the best. I have had a different one each time. Some focus on the birds, some focus on the turtles, some on the landscape, This one talked a lot about the history of the area an it was quite interesting to drift along and hear wonderful stories.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
9 Jul 16
Road trips are fun and good. Your photos are nice. Picaresque.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (148720)
• Roseburg, Oregon
14 Jul 16
That boat trip really does seem like a lot of fun. That is great that you enjoyed it.
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
19 Jul 16
As you know-on a road trip here too!
One day when we head in your direction and you are heading 'wherever' we can meet in the middle!
@moffittjc (128831)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Jul 16
I've always wanted to go on the boat ride at Homosassa Springs! Your beautiful photos have given me even more incentive to try it next time I'm there! It's only an hour and a half drive from where I live in Gainesville.
